Hapoel Tel Aviv Basketball Undergoes Major Management Shakeup with CEO Replacement

Hapoel Tel Aviv basketball club experienced a significant management upheaval on August 25, 2026, marked by the departure of CEO Tzachi Reichenstein and the appointment of Oren Hasson as his successor. This change followed a power struggle that began shortly after Hasson was named club chairman two months earlier. From the outset, overlapping responsibilities between Hasson and Reichenstein raised concerns, which soon escalated into a conflict over the club's management approach.

While Hasson was on a pre-planned three-week vacation abroad, tensions worsened, culminating in Hasson summoning Reichenstein for a dismissal hearing. Reichenstein contested Hasson's authority to fire him, citing lack of board approval. The club delayed finalizing the move until Hasson's return to Israel. The first phase of the shakeup involved appointing Stav Shacham, a board member for over a year, as the new chairman with full authority granted by owner Ofer Yanai.

Reichenstein initially believed he had prevailed when Hasson was removed as chairman, but within a day, Shacham informed him that his tenure as CEO was ending. Subsequently, Hasson was installed as CEO, completing the new management hierarchy with Shacham as chairman overseeing the club and Hasson managing daily operations. This CEO role was Hasson's intended position but was unavailable while Reichenstein held it.

The club cited deep disappointment with Reichenstein's performance, blaming him for poor season ticket sales, sponsorship issues, and branding challenges. Reichenstein's supporters disputed these claims, highlighting record revenues during his tenure, including key sponsorship deals with IBI, Arkia, and Adidas, and progress in securing a permanent EuroLeague license. They also noted that sponsorship deals stalled after Hasson's arrival and that season ticket policies were contentious and not his decision.

A major concern for the club is the low renewal rate of season tickets for the upcoming season, with only about 1,400 renewals, the lowest since the team played at Hapoel Yossef Hall. This decline occurred despite returning to their home arena after a season at Menora Mivtachim Arena, which had sparked fan protests. Further management changes are expected, including Eran Atiya replacing Idan Palda as sports director and Amir Lubin joining as vice president of communications.